Dresden Park Railway

Dresdner Parkeisenbahn

Dresden's Parkeisenbahn, or
Park Railway, runs some 5.6 km, or 3˝
miles, through the
Grosser Garten (Great Garden) on the eastern edge of the city center. Unlike
many park railroads, it isn't just a fun ride: It's also a useful means of
transportation, taking passengers from the Altstadt to outlying areas of the
large park--including the Zoo Dresden and the Carolasee, a.k.a. Lake Carola, where visitors can rent
boats or enjoy drinks, meals, and snacks at the
Carolaschlösschen restaurant and
café.

In the days of the Pioneers
(Communism's version of the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides), the Dresdner
Parkeisenbahn was operated largely by children. That tradition continues today,
with children volunteering for uniformed railroad jobs in their spare time. Over
the years, thousands of children have welcomed some 22 million passengers to the
"Pioneer Railway" (as the railroad was known from 1951 until 1990).

The
Dresdner Parkeisenbahn operates from spring through fall, with special Advent
rides in early December. For travel information in English, see the
Dresden Park
Railway Web site.

If you live outside the EU, a tax-free Renault or Peugeot tourist car lease can be cheaper than renting for visits of three weeks or longer. Minimum driver age is 18, there' s no upper age limit, and rates include insurance.